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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap... Copyright No 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
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NIAGARA 



THE OLD 
AND 
THE NEW 



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NEW YORK 

PUBLISHERS' PRINTING COMPANY 

MDCCCXCIX 






,(V5B'° 



3.3206 

Copyright, 1S99, 

BY 

FRANK L. BLANCHARD 
i-WOCOPie-i> K£CeiV£D. 




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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



TWENTY-RATER NIAGARA. 

STEAM YACHT NIAGARA. 

THE NIAGARA'S FIGUREHEAD. 

GENERAL VIEW OF BRIDGE AND RIGGING. 

THE PROMENADE DECK. 

OWNER'S OFFICE ON PROMENADE DECK. 

TWO VIEW^ OF THE MUSIC HALL. 

THE CARD ROOM. 

LIBRARY AND STAIRCASE. 

MRS. GOULD'S SUITE. 



MRS. GOULD'S BEDROOM. 

BOUDOIR IN MRS. GOULD'S SUITE. 

MR. GOULD'S SUITE. 

BATHROOM IN MR. GOULD'S SUITE. 

DINING-ROOM ON THE MAIN DECK. 

ONYX FIREPLACE IN THE DINING-ROOM. 

PIANO IN OAK CASE WITH TAPESTRY PANELS. 

THE STEWARDS PANTRY. 

GENERAL VIEW OF OWNER'S KITCHEN. 

STAIRCASE IN LOWER HALL. 



TWENTY-RATER NIAGARA 




HE sloop yacht, twenty rater Niagara, owned by Mr. Howard Gould, of New York, was built 
by the Herreshoffs at Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1893. She is 45 feet long on the water line, 12 feet 
beam and 10 feet draught. 

During the season of 189s the Niagara participated in some fifty races of the leading yacht 
clubs of Great Britain. Her skipper was John Barr, formerly commander of the Thistle, whose 
intimate knowledge of the coast and skill in handling her were such that she won twenty-nine first prizes, 
nine second, and one third prize. 

Among the trophies which her owner brought back to New York, as the result of the first summer's work, 
were the Lord Dunraven Castle Yacht Club Challenge Cup; a silver tea set and tray, presented by Robert Cross 
for the Royal Western Yacht Club; silver punch bowls from the Clyde, Corinthian, and Royal Albert Yacht Clubs; 
and silver loving cups from the Royal Western of England and the West of Scotland Yacht Clubs, in addition to 
the Maitland Kersey Cup, presented by the Castle Yacht Club. 

The following year the Niagara again competed with English yachts, but her victories were not as numer- 
ous as the preceding season, although she won twenty out of forty races in which she participated. 

No American yacht ever made such a record in English waters. Her owner was made a life member of 
the Royal Ulster Yacht Club of Belfast, and an honorary member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the Start Bay 
Yacht Club of Dartmouth, and the Douglas Bay Yacht Club of the Isle of Man. 

He was also elected a member of the Royal Largs Yacht Club, the Royal Alfred Yacht Club, and the Royal 
Temple Yacht Club. 



STEAM YACHT NIAGARA 




TEAM yacht Niagara was launched at the yards of the Harlan & Hollingsworth Co., at Wilming- 
ton, Delaware, February 19, 1898, in the presence of a great crowd of people, including a party of 
invited guests who had come down from New York on a special train. She was christened 
Niagara by Miss Kathrine Clemmons, who subsequently became the wife of Mr. Gould. 

The Niagara represents the highest type of naval construction as applied to a pleasure craft. 
She is bark rigged and modelled on lines designed by Captain W. G. Shackford^ her commander, late commodore 
of the Pacific Mail Co.'s fleet. 

She was not built for speed, the additional space which extra boilers, furnaces, and coal supply would 
occupy being devoted to increasing the size of the living rooms and in supplying accommodations not usually 
found on a yacht. 

In point of tonnage the Niagara is equalled by only half a dozen yachts in the whole world, her tonnage 
being 1,443 tons, and her displacement 1,538 tons. She is 272 feet 4 inches long, 36 feet beam, 27 feet 5 inches 
in depth, and 16 feet 9 inches draught. 

She has bilge keels 140 feet in length and 17 inches deep, similar to those employed on the newly built 
Cunard liners. Capt. Charles G. Lundborg's device is used for protecting the outward shafting of the twin screws. 
She has six water-tight steel bulkheads and fore-and-aft bulkheads in the bunkers. The water-tight 
thwartship bulkheads are of extra strength and thickness. The hull is divided into several independent compart- 
ments for additional safety. A water bottom runs the entire length of the ship. 

The Niagara flies the flag of the New York Yacht Club in addition to the owner's colors. 



THE NIAGARA'S FIGUREHEAD 




_ lAGARA S figure-head is a skilfully carved representation ol an American eagle, with wings out- 

I Stretched, gilded with gold leaf, and bearing upon its breast a United States shield in colors. In its 

■\/r I talons are a number of Indian arrows. The figure is large and life-like in appearance. The orna- 
■1' J 
'=**™ mental work of the prow is touched out with gold. 



GENERAL VIEW OF BRIDGE AND RIGGING 




IN the spar deck, the house, which is built of steel and covered with mahogany, is i lo feet long and 

16 feet wide. Above this, at the forward end and on a level with the bridge, which is furnished 

'11 with every modern device for signalling to the most distant parts of the ship, is the wheel-house, 

. i.B 

^frrvJT^T^m which will be used in stormy weather. It contains a chart cabinet, an electrical signalling appar- 
atus, and an electrical key-board for operating the steam whistle. On the wall is a dial which 
shows whether the numerous bulkhead doors are closed. The yacht can be steered by steam, electricity, 
or by hand. 

The boat equipment of the Niagara includes a iS-foot steam launch capable of a speed of 10'- miles an 
hour; a 24-foot naphtha launch, two 23-foot lifeboats, a 22-foot gig, an 18-foot market boat, and two dingeys. 
The yacht will also carry, in the near future, the fastest one-rater that can be built. Whenever desirable the boat 
will be entered in regattas. Mr. Gould's purpose being to stimulate and encourage the building and sailing of 
small yachts. 



THE PROMENADE DECK 




library. 



HE upper deck offers an unbroken promenade the full length of the ship, an advantage which few 
ocean-going yachts possess. During the summer the entire deck will be protected from the glare 
of the sun by overhead awnings. Comfortable chairs of artistic pattern are scattered about for the 
convenience of the owner's guests. Forward under the bridge is located the owner's chart room. 
In addition to the usual instruments it is equipped with a large globe and a complete nautical 
ust behind the chart room is the commander's quarters. An observation room, half open to the weather. 



is a feature of the deck-house. 



OWNER'S OFFICE ON PROMENADE DECK 




lif.,!?!R. Gould's office on the promenade deck is located just beyond the smoking-room. It is finished in 
y| East Indian mahogany, the carpet and damask curtains being of a rich dark green. It con- 
tains a large mahogany desk, a typewriter cabinet of the same material, an inviting divan covered 
with velvet cushions which can be used as a bed, several reclining and easy-chairs, and a table. 
Sconces with opalescent green shades above the owner's desk complete the decorations of the room. 
Several large windows on each side of the room furnish an abundance of daylight. The office is easy of access 
from the card-room or music hall by a narrow passage, thus obviating the necessity of going out on deck 
during rough or stormy weather. 



MUSIC HALL ON PROMENADE DECK 

TWO VIEWS 




jOR the comfort of his guests the owner has provided a number of special rooms. The largest of 
these is the music hall on the upper deck, i6 feet wide and 32 feet long, finished in African ma- 
hogany and upholstered in dark green. Wide windows, consisting of single panes of heavy plate 
glass, give plenty of light and afford an excellent opportunity for observation in rainy weather. 
A concert orchestrion, equivalent to a band of eighteen pieces, furnishes music for dancing or plays 
the latest songs and instrumental compositions whenever desired. Hanging on the wall at one end of the hall is 
a Sixteenth-century tapestry picture representing a village dance. 

Two ornamental stained glass skylights in the ceiling add to the room's attractiveness and assist in its 
proper ventilation. 



CARD ROOM ON PROMENADE DECK. 




UST beyond the music hall is the card-room, in old oak, furnished with big easy-chairs and com- 
fortable lounging divans covered with soft Venetian leather. A heavy oaken sideboard, with the 
^J usual accessories, occupies one corner of the room. In one end is concealed a dumb-waiter which 
communicates with the steward's pantry on the main deck. The combination card-tables are so 
arranged that almost any kind of a parlor game can be played upon them. The walls are deco- 
rated with old Dutch delft plaques, the globes over the electric lights being of a design that harmonizes 
with them. 



LIBRARY AND STAIRCASE 




v||HE library, on the main deck, is approached from the dining-saloon by a wide archway, and from the 
music hall on the deck above by a broad stairway, the balustrade of which is one of the best 
' examples of black walnut carving produced in '98. The latter is composed of a series of massive 
wreaths joined at the top by graceful garlands. The newel post supports an artistic group of 
bronze cupids who hold aloft floral branches in which glow-lamps burn. The library is finished 
in American black walnut with hangings of Venetian red. Around the walls stand bookcases filled with over 
600 volumes of novels, biographies, travels, etc., suited to every taste. At one end are two covered glass cases 
containing a carefully-selected assortment of arms, such as revolvers, cutlasses, rifles, and swords. A writing 
desk, a wall cabinet for bric-a-brac, a broad leather-covered seat, and some easy reading-chairs complete the 
furnishinofs of the room. 



MRS. GOULD'S SUITE 

<?.— GENERAL VIEW 
t. -BEDROOM 




EVERAL novel features are presented in the interior of the yacht, which was planned by Mrs. Gould 
herself The owner's and guests' living apartments are as absolutely private as they are in a 
town house. They are completely cut off from those occupied by the crew, and cannot be visited 
except under orders. This arrangement assures the greatest privacy, and many of the annoyances 
which have hitherto prevailed on steam yachts may thus be avoided. One thing which has con- 
tributed to this desirable end is the elimination of the conventional and universally prevalent grand staircase 
leading from the dining-saloon to the upper deck. All of this space has been utilized in adding to the size of the 
dining-saloon on the main deck and to the social hall on the spar deck. 

Mrs. Gould's suite, located on the port side of the main deck, consists of boudoir, bedroom, dressing-room, 
and bath, in ivory and rose of the Louis XVI. period. 

The draperies about the portholes, the royal canopy of rich silk above the couch of spotless white, and the 
velvet carpet upon the floor, are of a delicate shade of rose, in which garlands and bows of ribbon are worked in 
graceful design. 

The dressing-room is brilliantly illuminated from the ceiling by glow-lamps set in tulip-shaped opalescent 
glass shades. A large, full-length, three-leaved folding mirror is one of the features of this room. 



BOUDOIR IN MRS. GOULD'S SUITE 



;j.<>~,-^i HADING from the bedroom is a private hall connectino: with the boudoir, which corresponds to the 

^'^'■*" dressing-room in general tone effect. The globes of the electric lamps are half-open roses of 

",; opalescent glass. Wall cabinets of French plate glass; a beautiful writing desk of the Louis XIV 

s^^-aa—/ period; a long, low divan piled high with silken cushions, and, above it, an Oriental canopy, from 

which hangs a colored glass lantern of novel design, are among the attractions of the apartment. A bathroom 

in ivory and rose tiles, titled with electric, tub, and foot baths, completes the suite. 



c^y 



MR. GOULD'S SUITE 




accessories 

lends to the upper deck. 



R. GOULD'S suite, which adjoins that of his wife, consists of three commodious rooms, on the 
starboard side of the yacht, finished in natural birch, the carpet and draperies being of Yale blue. 
The largest contains a brass bedstead, a roll-top desk, and a safe. A telephone stands at the head 
of the bed, by means of which the owner can communicate with all parts of the ship. 

The dressing-room is furnished with a bureau, a mirror, closets for clothes, and the usual 
From this suite doors lead to Mrs. Gould s suite, the dining-room, and a hall from which a staircase 



BATHROOM !N MR. GOULD'S SUITE 




TssCTfbigfflR. GOULD'S bathroom is one of the most complete ever placed on board a yacht. It is a large, 
well-ventilated apartment, the walls and tloor being covered with white tiles, having a blue flower 
in the centre, it is tltt.ed with shower, tub, and foot baths, and is heated in cool weather by 
electricity. Much attention has been paid to the plumbing, not only of this room, but of all the 
rooms of similar character on the yacht. The floors are first covered with sheet-lead on which 

the tiles are then laid in cement. This arrangement prevents any possibility of leakage in case water should 

be accidently spilled. 




J^jA^\'' j,« I 



DINING-ROOM ON THE MAIN DECK 



-ONYX FIREPLACE 

-PIANO IN CARVED OAK CASE 



^^g N bonrd the Niagara, the dining-saloon is the largest room, its dimensions being 36 x 24 feet. It is 
S'^bP finished in hand-carved quartered oak and decorated with old Renaissance tapestry. At one end 
"aMk^^K is a serviceable open fireplace enclosed with slabs of delicately tinted Mexican onyx, above which 
*******'»^ rises an elaborately carved mantel of oak bearing in bold relief a representation of Diana standing, 
spear in hand, ready for the chase. Directly opposite the fireplace rests an upright piano in a massively carved 
oak case which matches the rest of the apartment. Three old tapestry panels in the top complete its decorations. 
The high-backed chairs belonging to this room are also made of carved oak upholstered with tapestry. On 
four sideboards of stout oak curiously carved are displayed the owner's elaborate dinner service in gold and silver. 
Ten large porthole windows and two skylights of tinted glass flood the saloon with sunlight during the day, and 
at night scores of electric bulbs half-hidden in the ceiling diffuse a soft mellow glow over the apartment. 



THE STEWARDS PANTRY 



4^ EYOND the dining-room is tiie steward's pantry, wiiicii is much larger than those usually found in 
-..^^ pretentious city houses. It is furnished with several china closets with glass fronts, and racks in 
Ij^ the ceiling which hold the goblets, wine glasses, etc. Ice boxes for the storage of wines, fruits, 



butter and vegetables for immediate use are conveniently located. The wood- work is light in 
color, and the walls are covered with white tiles. An abundance of light is obtained from several 
large port-holes. Every possible convenience is provided for cleaning the silver and glass-ware. 



GENERAL VIEW OF OWNER'S KITCHEN 




ONNECTING directly with tiie pantry is tine l^itciien or galley, Mr. Gould's chef having a range for 
his special use. The walls of the kitchen are covered with white enamelled tiles and the floor 
with serviceable vitreous brick arranged in appropriate designs. It is fitted with every modern 
appliance for the prompt preparation and speedy service of meals, including an electric range and 
heater. The chef who cooks for the crew has a separate kitchen service. A bake-shop, equipped 

with the usual appliances for turning out a daily supplv of bread for the owner's guests and the crew of the 

yacht, is a feature of this department. 



STAIRCASE IN LOWER HALL 




jORWARD of Mr. and Mrs. Gould's suites, on the main deck, are four guest chambers opening from 
a broad, richly carpeted hall. They are 12 feet square and each is finished in a different kind of 
wood, the beauty of the grain of each being carefully brought out by hand polishing. The carpets 
and the hangings match the color of the woodwork. One of the chambers is in curly maple, 
another in sycamore, the third in prima vera, and the fourth in California redwood. On the lower 
deck, reached by a broad staircase, are three more guest chambers of the same character, though finished in 
different woods, and like them provided with private bath-rooms, the tiling of which has a dash of color to 
match. Each is furnished with a brass bed, a bureau with a large plate-glass mirror, a wall writing-desk, and a 
cedar-lined clothes closet. 

In addition to those already enumerated there are rooms for Mr. Gould's private secretary, doctor, valet, 
and personal servants; an apothecary shop, a photographer's room, a fully equipped steam laundry, a hospital, 
and a room for fishing tackle and camping outfit. 



THE CREWS QUARTERS. 

The space devoted to the comfort of the crew is a striking feature of the Niagara. One of the first orders 
given by Mr. Gould, vv'hen the construction of the yacht was begun, was that the men who were to run the 
engines, fire the boilers, and take care of the ship should have attractive living rooms. 

As a result of the provisions made the Niagara's crew of 78 men have the most commodious quarters to be 
found on any yacht. The forecastle is a large, well-lighted, and well-ventilated room painted white. The bunks 
are constructed of light iron framework, with wide spaces between each tier, and are furnished with an abundance 
of blankets and comfortables. The officers occupy state-rooms which compare favorably with those found on 
ocean steamships. 

Aft on the main deck is a recreation hall for the men. It extends the entire width of the ship, the sea walls 
being so arranged that they can be opened when desired, thus giving the crew what is practicallv an open deck. 



THE ELECTRIC PLANT. 

The electric-light plant consists of two direct-connected dynamos and engines installed in duplicate, each 
set having a capacity of 400 i6-candle-power lamps. There is a storage battery of 80 lights capacity installed in 
a convenient place and wired up complete. The direct-connected four-pole multipolar generators are driven by a 
6 X T double-enclosed Sturtevant engine, running at a speed of =;so revolutions per minute under a boiler pressure of 
100 lbs., which will develop 40 horse-power. There is also one polished brass type " D " Rushmore pilot-house 
projector, 18 inches in diameter, taking 4t amperes, the whole wired and installed complete. 

The wiring of the ship was done by the electrical staff of the builders, and the whole installation was 
finished complete by their workmen. The various outlets are grouped on six ciicuits, and the installation and 
wiring are done in the most approved manner, with all provisions possible for safety and artistic effect. The 
plant is provided with the usual instruments and spares for operation at sea. 



On nights when an illumination is desired qoo lights outlining the hull, masts, and spars of the yacht can 
be used at one time in addition to the great searchlight on the bridge. 

The part which electricity plays upon this palatial craft is a most important one. It runs the big orchestrion 
in the music hall, cooks steaks in the kitchen, warms the rooms, lights cigars, operates the laundry machinery, 
heats my lady's curling tongs, carries messages over the telephone wires, summons the servants, and cools the 
air with whirling fans. 



THE NIAGARA'S ENGINES. 

The engines of the Niagara are of the triple-expansion, inverted cylinder, direct-acting, surface-condensing 
type, with a working pressure of i6o pounds to the square inch. The cylinders are i8, 28, and 4^ inches 
respectively, with a 30-inch stroke. The steam is supplied by three Scotch boilers, each having three furnaces. 
There are two sets of engines, so that in case one set becomes disabled the yacht can still proceed under the other. 
The coal bunkers have a capacity of 4S0 tons, a quantity sufficient to take the Niagara to Southampton and back 
at a twelve-knot speed. The contract speed of the boat is fourteen knots an hour. She is classed under the 
highest classification at English Lloyds and United States standard, being for a twenty-year rating under special 
survey. 

The yacht is completely fitted with handling gear, including steam capstan and steam windlass forward, 
and independent steam capstan aft, together with a special steam winch on forecastle for quick-handling purposes, 
and a steam engine with two gypsies located amidships for the sole purpose of hoisting the steam launches and 
small boats. There is also a hand-screw gear aft for relief-steering purposes. 



THE REFRIGERATING PLANT. 

The refrigerating plant is a Remington No. 2 machine, with a capacity of four hundred pounds of ice per 
day, and to cool fifteen hundred cubic feet of space to a temperature of 34° F. The machine has two 



4 X q-inch vertical single-acting ammonia cylinders on one housing, operated by a 7 x 7-inch \ertical engine 
direct-connected on the same base, complete with all attachments. There is also one ammonia condenser of the 
submerged type, consisting of a salt-water tank with ammonia-liquifying coils of extra heavy pipe, with all valves 
and connections. 

There is one steel brine tank five feet four inches long by two feet eight inches wide and thirtv-six inches 
deep, with removable covers, provided with necessary ammonia expansion coils of extra heavv pipe, with all 
valves and connections, arranged to contain fifteen galvanized ice cans, with covers, to hold fifty-pound cakes of 
ice, and one 3 x 2 x 3-inch duplex steam pump, brass mounted, for brine circulation, with brine gauge, lubrica- 
tor, and brass-cased thermometer complete. A system of galvanized piping is erected in the cold-storage room 
and refrigerators for the circulation of the brine. There are two ammonia gauges mounted on an ornamental 
board, and one ammonia receiver, and connecting pipes, valves, and fittings for the system. 

In connection with the machinery department there is an evaporating and distilling plant of fifteen tons 
capacity. 



WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM. 

Abundant provisions have been made for furnishing the owner, his guests, and crew with fresh water. 
Tanks having a capacity of over is, 000 gallons are conveniently located for this purpose. 

Much attention has been given by the builders of the Niagara to the subject of drainage. A double service 
of pipes is provided, one connecting all of the basins and tubs in the owner's quarters with a five hundred gallon 
tank in the hold, and the other connecting the bathrooms and water-closets with sewage tanks similarly located. 
The contents of these tanks are pumped overboard by steam or water siphon. 



WAV 29 1899 



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